Hey guys,
I don't know how it happened, but over the course of my replica watch collector fervor, I became a serious fan of Tudor Watches. IMO, Tudor is what happens when Rolex takes chances when making more affordable (but far from cheap) watches. As a Yank, Tudor has just returned to our shores after a long hiatus, so perhaps there is a little bit of Tudor crazyiness in the gen world. Inspired by txrob799's recent Chrono Time Transitional builds (I am sure he will gladly add some pictures to this thread), I have recently spent some time studying and researching these gorgeous hidden treasures of the watch world. For those of you that aren't familliar with the Chrono Time, it is perhaps one of the last Tudors build using Rolex parts. In fact, it shares its case, crown, chrono pushers, crystal (with the addition of a cyclops), endlinks, case back etc with the legendary Daytona--in particularly, the older Zenith El Primero powered Daytona 16520, which happens to have a case thick enough to accommodate a Rolex modified Valjoux 7750. Here's a great link about the Transitional Chrono Times: http://www.watchcollectinglifestyle...or-chronograph-ref-79280-a-transitional-panda
These Chrono Time's were essentially the poor man's Daytona, but as the price of real Daytona (and Rolex and Tudor watches in general) have risen, so have the values on the Chrono Times. Perhaps the most affordable of the Chrono Times, is the Tiger model--which are marked by a red "Tiger" under the minute sub-dial (reminiscent of the red "Daytona" on the early 70's Cosmograph dials--which made the Daytona what it is today).
The Tudor Tiger Chronographs have never been commercially replicated and are now selling for between $2,200 and $3,500.00. That's pretty darn cheap for a watch that is made using Daytona parts, side by side with the Daytona (yes, they were made in the same factory by the same workers, and are warrantied and serviced by Rolex and come with Rolex Papers). In fact, for most of the transitional period, the Chrono Times also used signed rolex parts--although my 1998 Ref. 72980 has a Tudor signed crown and caseback. I was lucky enough to pick one up from a novice seller on eBay for $1,750 in mint condition (original plastic on the back) with complete box set and papers. So, without further ado, I give you my gen Tudor Tiger 72980P (which I placed on aftermarket TWB croc to preserve the origiinal sharkskin strap and clasp):
I don't know how it happened, but over the course of my replica watch collector fervor, I became a serious fan of Tudor Watches. IMO, Tudor is what happens when Rolex takes chances when making more affordable (but far from cheap) watches. As a Yank, Tudor has just returned to our shores after a long hiatus, so perhaps there is a little bit of Tudor crazyiness in the gen world. Inspired by txrob799's recent Chrono Time Transitional builds (I am sure he will gladly add some pictures to this thread), I have recently spent some time studying and researching these gorgeous hidden treasures of the watch world. For those of you that aren't familliar with the Chrono Time, it is perhaps one of the last Tudors build using Rolex parts. In fact, it shares its case, crown, chrono pushers, crystal (with the addition of a cyclops), endlinks, case back etc with the legendary Daytona--in particularly, the older Zenith El Primero powered Daytona 16520, which happens to have a case thick enough to accommodate a Rolex modified Valjoux 7750. Here's a great link about the Transitional Chrono Times: http://www.watchcollectinglifestyle...or-chronograph-ref-79280-a-transitional-panda
These Chrono Time's were essentially the poor man's Daytona, but as the price of real Daytona (and Rolex and Tudor watches in general) have risen, so have the values on the Chrono Times. Perhaps the most affordable of the Chrono Times, is the Tiger model--which are marked by a red "Tiger" under the minute sub-dial (reminiscent of the red "Daytona" on the early 70's Cosmograph dials--which made the Daytona what it is today).
The Tudor Tiger Chronographs have never been commercially replicated and are now selling for between $2,200 and $3,500.00. That's pretty darn cheap for a watch that is made using Daytona parts, side by side with the Daytona (yes, they were made in the same factory by the same workers, and are warrantied and serviced by Rolex and come with Rolex Papers). In fact, for most of the transitional period, the Chrono Times also used signed rolex parts--although my 1998 Ref. 72980 has a Tudor signed crown and caseback. I was lucky enough to pick one up from a novice seller on eBay for $1,750 in mint condition (original plastic on the back) with complete box set and papers. So, without further ado, I give you my gen Tudor Tiger 72980P (which I placed on aftermarket TWB croc to preserve the origiinal sharkskin strap and clasp):
